Beekeeping Advice



Here is some beekeeping advice shared by experienced beekeepers, such as how to move a bee hive, and great plants for bees.   

Also, there further links to more tips, videos and free information.

Advice And Tips For New Beekeepers 

1. Moving Bees If You Must - By Larry, Reidville, SC

If you have a very legitimate reason to move a hive 10 to 30 feet:

Here's how:

  1. Prepare the new location.
  2. Strap the hive components together tight with flexible straps and ratchet, or use thin metal straps to screw each box to the other.
  3. Near dusk place a small strip of wood just large enough over the entrance to block it.
  4. Get a friend to help lift the hive to the new location. If the total hive is too heavy for two people then you would have to smoke the bees and place an inner cover over each section as you move it and place it back onto a bottom board.
  5. The next morning, unblock the entrance and let the bees re-orient.
  6. At dusk place an empty nuc or hive at the old location to give the bees that did not re-orient a place to stay overnight.
  7. In the morning take the nuc from the old location and place it right next to the main hive entrance.
  8. Repeat this process with the empty nuc for three days if needed.


You should lose only a very small number of bees. some just reach the end of their lifeline in the nuc overnight.


2. Choosing Bee Favorite Plantings: Ceanothus - By: Scott Mattoon,
San Francisco, CA, USA

Carmel Ceanothus shrub And a Honey Bee foraging on the bluish pink flowers.Carmel Ceanothus

Beekeeper, Scott Mattoon, talks about one of his favourite flowering shrubs, for honey bees - Ceanothus here.

Mia, Marble Falls, Texas, USA

"We plan to start in beekeeping hopefully next year to pollinate our fruit trees and garden crops on our small farm. 

Honey for home use would also be welcomed. 

This year, we are researching, planning and planting additional garden areas near our home to be planted with species beneficial to bees for the rest of the year. 

We have surface water available already and hope to develop a lovely bee sanctuary on our small acreage so that the bees may find a supportive environment and we may mutually benefit from each other"

- Mia, Marble Falls, Texas, USA



3. Being Fast By Going Slow - Beekeeping Advice From Rodrigo Eyzaguirre, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.

I heard this saying when I was skydiving years ago.  Precision was vital and speed was important.  Haste was a deal breaker. Here goes:

“If you want to be fast, go S L O W.

If you’re slow, you’re smooth. 

If you’re smooth, you’re FAST!”


Learning with the experts - beekeeping with Phil chandler






How to clean used beekeeping equipment






More beekeeping advice and tips can be found on the following links:

First Lessons In Beekeeping

Make a bee brush,

Beekeeping Videos.


More links of interest:

Interviews with: Dr David Heaf on Bee Friendly Beekeeping, Mark Daniels on The Strange Disappearance Of The Bees.




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leafcutter bee on sweet pea plant sweet peas for bees